Seafood companies and politicians from Nova Scotia recently completed a trade mission to China, seeking to cement trading relationships threatened by rising political tensions between the two countries.
China has become Nova Scotia’s second-largest export destination, with exports growing from CAD 197 million (USD 149 million, EUR 134 million) in 2013 to CAD 792 million (USD 600 million, EUR 540 million) in 2018. Of that total, seafood represents CAD 525 million (USD 398 million, EUR 358 million), and government estimates put that total up 23 percent thus far in 2019, according to the Canadian Press.
Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil traveled on the trade mission in November, during which, he met with Ma Xingrui, governor of China’s Guangdong Province. In addition to discussing trade, the two leaders also touched on the ongoing political standoff between the two countries involving Canada’s detention of Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou following an extradition request from the United States, and China’s subsequent arrest of two Canadian businessmen on espionage allegations.
McNeil said he supports a quick resolution of the issue.
“We need to continue to build the relationship so as we move past solving those issues we continue to still build a vibrant economy for both of our countries,” McNeil said.
However, Progressive Conservative lawmaker Allan MacMaster questioned the premier’s impact during his overseas trips.
“China needs what we have,” said MacMaster. “There’s a tremendous demand for things like protein, things like seafood which we have in abundance. I’m willing to bet that China would be wanting to purchase those things from us, whether [McNeil] goes to China or not.”
Nova Scotia Minister of Agriculture and of Fisheries Keith Colwell, also in attendance on the trip, said it established new opportunities for the seafood export market.
"Our fishing industry now is approaching CAD 2.3 billion [USD 1.7 billion, EUR 1.5 billion] a year in exports, and five or six years ago when I took portfolio in those two departments we were under CAD 1 billion [USD 758 million, EUR 682 million]," Colwell told NEWS 95.7, according to Halifax Today.
Having politicians attend trade missions can help secure deals through local respect for political clout, he said.
"If you go into Asia, to have a government official with you, a minister in my case, can open the door to markets that you would just not be able to get into," Colwell said. "They have a very high regard for political figures and a different type of attitude."
Besides Asia, Colwell said he sees Europe as a destination for increasing seafood exports from Nova Scotia.
"We're targeting Europe now as another area that we have to really get our producers involved with more so than we are now," he said.
Photo courtesy of Phil McDonald/Shutterstock
